Morocco looks forward to return of Chinese tourists: local media

RABAT, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Morocco welcomes China's decision to resume group tours to more overseas destinations, including Morocco, believing the move will give a fresh boost to the country's tourism industry, local media said on Sunday.

The decision is "a development that holds the potential to breathe fresh life into the flow of Chinese travelers to the North African kingdom," said Morocco's online news website Hespress on Sunday.

Nasser Bouchiba, the chair of the African-Chinese Development Cooperation Association, stressed in the Hespress report that there is a strong interest among Chinese citizens to explore Morocco, which has been encouraged by visa exemption and Morocco's growing international reputation.

The tourism industry serves as an important pillar of Morocco's economy. In the first six months of 2023, Morocco witnessed an influx of 6.5 million tourists. Forecasts from the Ministry of Tourism anticipate that this figure could rise to approximately 14.5 million by the end of 2023.